IMO, the sidewalk is for people moving slowly - like pedestrians. Small children and the guys chugging along on BSOs/cruisers/BMX on the sidewalk don't bother me, as they are moving slowly. Taking a shortcut on the sidewalk moving slowly - also cool.
If the rider in question is chugging along slowly on the sidewalk, that's probably fine. If they're going faster, it begins to create a danger - both to the rider and to drivers. If I encountered a rider moving along pretty well, I might have a conversation about riding in the road - and offer to show them the way, selling it not as a criticism, but as a positive strategy to save time and get places faster.
Originally Posted by
parkbrav
And thus, my quandry, it would probably confuse oncoming drivers to see cyclists approaching them in both lanes. Right?
That's a tough one. I think drivers who do not ride (or walk) are generally confused. Some non-cyclists have tried to tell me I'm supposed to be on the wrong side of the road, as they were taught that bike = pedestrian, not bike = vehicle. In the states I've lived in, pedestrians are supposed to go against traffic, and cyclists are supposed to ride with traffic.
So the question is whether the salmoning sidewalk cyclist is more like a pedestrian or a cyclist. I think they might actually be doing the right thing so long as they're
moving slowly, but otherwise, belong in the road (as a cyclist, not a pedestrian.)